Mayhem, drama, pageantry and pure, unadulterated athleticism is what you can expect from WWE 2K17! The popular pro wrestling video game series is back!
Platform: Xbox One
Genre: Professional wrestling, fighting, sports
Game mode: Single-player, multiplayer
The WWE has always prided itself on its product; one that is dynamic in order to give the fans – the WWE Universe – exactly what they want, and this iteration is no exception.
The developers Yuke’s and Visual Concepts have focused on creating an experience that captures the look and feel of WWE’s current product. This means that the majority of matches – unless you opt for Extreme Rules – are going to have a specific pace and style.
If you’re yearning for an all-out fight, you’ll be pleased to know that backstage brawls are back! Ah, yes, the joy of watching Brock Lesnar F5ing his opponent through a table or onto the concrete floor – it’s a welcome return.
Goldberg
There is a distinct refinement in gameplay that adds consistency to matches. Gamespot comments that “while the reversal system, pin/kickout mechanics, stamina management, and submission minigame remain relatively unchanged, there’s some welcome fine-tuning sprinkled throughout.”
Multi-person matches have also received much-needed attention, which means that user experience in tag-team bouts, the Royal Rumble match and Battle Royals are no longer as disorganised.
Online play is one of the major downfalls of the game. There is a glaring latency period, making functions such as kicking out of pins, extremely difficult.
Another flaw is the absence of the 2K Showcase mode – sure, it was going to be difficult to top 2K16’s awesome journey of the iconic “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, but they could have given it a shot!
So, this puts a lot of pressure on the MyCareer mode…which, unfortunately, is not very impressive. It is still a very monotonous, slow progression through the ranks. You definitely don’t feel that you’re going to have your “WrestleMania Moment” any time soon. However, interactive promos have been introduced, which allows developing your character’s persona (either as a heel or face).
The bottom line is that 2K has added some phenomenal features, making it the best game in the series. There is no doubt that this is a must-have for the avid WWE fan.
Verdict: 7/10